Student Rebellion in the 1960s United States. Reasons, developments, global context, consequences 4219-SD078-OG

This course will concentrate on the roots of this campus crisis, exploring the reasons of student protest and giving an answer to the question why they became such a central feature of 1960s America. We will cover the student movement’s beginnings, achievements and collapses in a struggle to change the United States society and politics. A broader context of selected European countries – Germany, France Italy and Poland, as well as Mexico and Japan will be added to have a global perspective of the discussed events.

Some attention will also be devoted to comparing the 1960s generation to its predecessors and successors, assessing whether they were or have been silent generations in comparison with the generation of protest and activism.

It is also important to discuss the aftermath of the decade stressing the even more radical, revolutionary Left (Weather Underground) and the how it launched the New Right and a conservative student movement, whose alumni would go on to play key roles in the post-60s shift of American politics to the right.

1. Beginings of Student Activism. Civil Rights Movement, SNCC, Free Speech Movement
2. The New Left and student political activism between 1960 and 1964. The New Right. Red diaper babies
3. Freedom Summer. The war in Vietnam. Beginning of peace movement
4. Causes of protest and examples – ROTC, university complicity, recruiters.
5. The Six weeks that shook Morningside as a case study of student protest
6. Urban riots and rise of Black Panthers
7. Protests Worldwide – Germany, France, Italy
8. Protest Worldwide – Poland and Czechoslovakia
9. The Chinese Cultural Revolution
10. Counterculture
11. Other dissenters – academics, clergy, media.
12. Free Speech Movement – film show
13. The Weather Underground – film show
14. Class Test

Type of course

general courses

Mode

Classroom

Assessment criteria

Course Methods and Expectations:
Students are expected to come to each class. Register will be checked each time. One absence is acceptable but if you miss the class twice without a serious reason you will asked to come to make it up during my office hours. Students are expected to read the assignments, participate in class discussions and if asked,prepare a presentation on a given topic. Therefore methods will include a little bitof lecture, a little bit of discussion and a little of presentation. Final exam (written) will conclude the course. If you would like to miss class for a reasonable reason let me know.

Course grading

Three elements will considered: a. your presence and activeness (25%); b. your presentation (25%); c. final exam (50%). Presence and silence will lead to nowhere

Bibliography

Books

1. Maurice Isserman, Michael Kazin, American Divided. The Civil War of the 1960s
2. Seymour Martin Lipset, Passion and Politics. Student Politics in the United States
3. Lewis Feuer, The Conflict of Generations. The Character and Significance of Student Movemnets
4. Kenneth Heineman, Put Your Bodies Upon the Wheels. Student Revolt in the 1960s
5. Wojciech Sokolewicz, Jerzy Wróblewski. Komunizm I Nowa Lewica. Krytyka systemu amerykańskiego.
6. Nancy Zaroulis, Gerald Sullivan, Who Spoke Up. American Protest against the War in Vietnam
7. Students in Revolt, red Syemour Martin Lipset, Philip Altbach.
8. Passion and Politics. Student Activsim in America, red Seymour Martin Lipset
9. Lawrence Lader, Power on the Left. American Radical Movement Since 1946
10. Thomas Powers, Vietnam, The War at Home

Additional information

Information on level of this course, year of study and semester when the course unit is delivered, types and amount of class hours - can be found in course structure diagrams of apropriate study programmes. This course is related to the following study programmes:

Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system:

Description of 4219-SD078-OG in USOSweb